This invention relates to drinking bowls for pet animals.
The present invention has been developed primarily as a drinking bowl for a pet animal, such as a domestic cat or dog, and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application.
Owners of pet animals have, in the past, provided troughs or bowls to contain drinking water for their animal. Such troughs or bowls suffer from the disadvantage that once emptied, whether as a result of the animal having consumed all the water or as a result of evaporation, spillage, or any other means, the owner must take action to refill the bowl or otherwise the animal will go thirsty. Many pet owners however do not remain at home all day with their animal and as such cannot regularly monitor the water available for their pet. Thus a risk exists that the animal may be deprived of water for an extended period of time. This can have dire consequences, particularly in the hot summer months.
Moreover, existing troughs and bowls suffer from the disadvantage that they contain a static body of water which, particularly in the summer months, can be heated by the sun to such a degree that the water is too hot for the animal to comfortably drink.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a pet animal drinking bowl, said bowl including a first surface at least partially defining a depression for holding drinking water and a second surface exposed to air, said first and second surfaces being separated by a water permeable material so that water may pass through said first surface to said second surface, wherein evaporation of water from said second surface acts to cool the drinking water contained within said depression, said bowl further including a chamber for receiving water from a source, wherein there is provided fluid communication between said chamber and said depression so as to permit a flow of water from said chamber to said depression so as to maintain a predetermined level of water within said depression.
Preferably the second surface includes a number of spaced apart support columns which define a plurality of air flow channels.
Preferably the water permeable material is an unsintered ceramic material such as, for example, stoneware or earthenware. Alternatively, the water permeable material may be a synthetic material.
Preferably the bowl is adapted to be connected to a supply of water.
Preferably the bowl includes a valve to regulate the supply of water to the depression.
Preferably the bowl includes a chamber adapted for fluid communication with the depression, a float located in said chamber and operatively connected to said valve in order to maintain a predetermined level of water within said depression.
Preferably the bowl includes a cover for the chamber, the cover including a receptacle that extends into the chamber such that a soluble additive contained therein is immersed in the predetermined level of water.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a bowl assembly for containing drinking water for a pet animal, said assembly including:
a bowl for containing drinking water for a pet animal, said bowl including a first surface at least partially defining a depression for holding said drinking water and a second surface exposed to air, said first and second surfaces being separated by a water permeable material so that water may pass through said first surface to said second surface, wherein evaporation of water from said second surface acts to cool the drinking water contained within said depression; and
a bowl support plate of water permeable material.